Whittle Mill

Whittle Mill is another intriguing place we've recently discovered on Google maps, while planning our latest trip. The mill is a 1.2km walk through the beautiful Whittle Dene and was first recorded in 1560.

It stands on Whittle Burn and is comprised of two main ruined buildings and some unidentifiable piles of stones. These stones were once a kiln for drying oats and further into the woodland, traces of the race taking water from the burn can be seen.

The dene is huge 16 hectares and is beautiful to walk through. It was often painted by local artists in the 1800s and a painting by Thomas Eyre Macklin can be seen at the Shipley Art Gallery in Gateshead.

There is a magical feel to the dene and legend says that it was home to fairies and evil spirits. The spirit of Long Lonkin, a local criminal was said to haunt the dene in the 1200s. Nearby ruins of Nafferton Tower was the hiding place for Long Lonkin before he committed the murders of the owners of Welton Hall. Nafferton Tower is now a small pile of bricks hidden in woodland near the A69.

We didn't see anyone on our visit and the abandoned mill seemed otherworldly when we came across it. Just before we arrived at it, there were around 15 really unusual cabins known as the bungalows. Originally holiday homes built in the dene in the early 1900s, they are now unique off grid homes.

Whittle Mill is a proper hidden gem and well worth a visit.